Pumpkin Coconut & Raisin Muffins

Muffins can be a tiny, perfect package for breakfast or a snack, when made correctly. Too often muffins are sugary messes – think of blueberry muffin topped with brown sugar crumble. Delicious, but not nutritious.

I think these muffins are great! They are not too sugary and the coconut and raisins add a delightful texture and sweetness of their own.

The recipe is loosely adapted from The Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites Cookbook. I happened to have some canned pumpkin leftover from Thanksgiving time in our cabinets and used that instead of what the recipe called for – as well as some other modifications (see below).

Pumpkin Coconut & Raisin Muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or AP flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup rolled oats

2 eggs

1 can of pumpkin pie mix (15 oz)

1 cup soy milk

2 tsps vanilla

1 tablespoon oil

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

4 tablespoons fruit preserves (we had some peach jam that my mom canned over the summer)

1/2 cup coconut

1/4-1/2 cups raisins

To Do:

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Grease a muffin tin or use paper liners.

Process the oats in a blender or food processor until they become the consistency of cornmeal (you can also just squish them with a rolling pin – it’s OK).

I just mixed these up and they’re in the oven. One thing – you must have much bigger muffin tins than the standard cupcake size – I had enough batter left over after almost completely filling 12 cups to make a small cakelet, which is baking next to the muffins.

Hi Tina – they’re good! I guess I could have filled them more, but the flat little cake is good, too. I’m not a fan of the coconut in it (though I like coconut). My kids are huge fans of pumpkin and thought you could hardly taste it in these. To me, that’s a plus!

I just made these last night and love them! I would probably leave out the coconut next time just because I can’t really taste it, so it just adds in extra calories/fat. They’re so dense and filling, so they’re great for breakfast to tide me over until lunch!